Marine Science
Scholarship Competition



Presented by the ASA & NAMEPA

ASA logo        NAPEPA logo


Awarding the Next Generation of Marine Innovators, the Annual Marine Science Scholarship Competition is for High School & Undergraduate Students to submit papers and abstracts toward a chance to earn scholarship funds to further their education and research in this exciting field.


The American Salvage Association (ASA) and the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) are seeking all students who have recently demonstrated their passion for the Marine Sciences by participating in a Science or Engineering Fair either individually or in a team (of up to three persons) to participate in its 12th Annual Marine Sciences Scholarship Competition. Winners will earn scholarship funds to further their education and research in this exciting field!

The competition is intended to highlight the importance of preserving the marine environment through the use of sound environmental practices, raise awareness of the art and science of marine salvage and engineering, and to promote careers within the greater maritime industry and in marine sciences.

All eligible students are invited to submit a project abstract of 300 words or less and a technical paper describing their project which will be reviewed by a technical committee of maritime industry and marine science experts. Each paper is evaluated on a wide range of criteria including: originality, data collection, supporting evidence, and tangibility within the real-world environment.

Papers and abstracts will be accepted from (Dates TBA). Winners will be notified and will be announced in a variety of official marine industry publications via a press release and social media. Scholarship recipients will be invited to receive their award at NAMEPA’s Annual Conference & Awards Dinner in New York, NY. This is a unique opportunity for winners to interact and network with highly regarded marine industry representatives, potential employers, researchers, educators, and regulators. You don't want to miss it!

**ASA and NAMEPA will sponsor the travel and accommodation expenses to New York for each winning student, including the event registration fee. Two accompanying guests per student are allowed albeit expenses must be covered by them separately. Scholarship awards and certificates of achievement will be mailed to those students unable to accept their awards in person.**

Student applications and supporting documents must be submitted online no later than September 30, 2024.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Individual or Group Submissions (of up to three students)
• Submission Categories:
   • High School Student / Group Category: The high school student(s) must have been enrolled in grades 9 - 12 between September 2023 through September 2024.
   • Undergraduate Student / Group Category: The undergraduate student(s) must have been enrolled full time during the Fall 2023, Winter 2024, or Fall 2024 semester (or any other intermediary semester between these periods).
• To be considered, your project should focus on one of the following subject areas:
   • Marine Environmental Care
   • Naval Architecture
   • Marine Engineering
   • Ocean Engineering
   • Meteorology
   • Underwater Robotics
   • Air Emissions from Ships
   • Alternative Fuel Supplies for Ships
   • Oil and Chemical Spill Remediation
   • Offshore Well Control
   • Diving Systems
   • Marine Biology
   • Marine Ecosystems
   • Marine Microorganisms
   • Ship Design
   • Ship Breaking
   • Recovery of Sunken Ships
   • Cargo, Fuel or Pollutants
   • Marine Salvage

Expectation Requirements:

• Each submission should include an abstract of the paper not to exceed 300 words.
• Each submission should include a technical paper. There is no length limitation. Do not submit PowerPoint files of presentations. Judges are looking for technical papers that follow proper format and scientific methodology.
• Recommended file type for your file upload are PDFs, however, other file uploads will be accepted.
• Refrain from submitting simple research projects. The judges want to see studies and experiments reflecting originality and tangibility in the real-world environment.
• Student must provide supporting evidence which may include but is not limited to photographs of their project, data graphs, etc.
• Acknowledgements are encouraged to provide the judging panel with context as to the student’s supporting body during their research.
• Submission should be clear of grammatical errors.

Scholarship Awards:

• Highschool (1st Place: $500 | 2nd Place: $250 | 3rd Place: $100)
• Undergraduate (1st Place: $500 | 2nd Place: $250 | 3rd Place: $100)
• All prize winners will receive recognition in industry publications.
• All prize winners will receive an invitation to receive their awards at NAMEPA's Annual Conference & Awards Dinner in New York.
• ASA and NAMEPA will sponsor the travel and accommodation expenses to New York for each winning student, including the event registration fee. Two accompanying guests per student are allowed albeit expenses must be covered by them separately. Scholarship awards and certificates of achievement will be mailed to those students unable to accept their awards in person.
• Additional discretionary "special recognition" awards may be presented dependent upon submission and judging selection.

Submit an Entry:

Electronic submission forms can be found and submitted via the following link:
Go to the submission form

Request for Additional Information:

Contact the ASA's Education Committee Chairperson at mduvernois@resolvemarine.com and NAMEPA's Education & Outreach Director at m.dushay@namepa.net.


NAMEPA Mission Statement:

The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) is a marine industry-led organization of environmental stewards preserving the marine environment by promoting sustainable marine industry best practices and educating seafarers, students and the public about the need and strategies for protecting global ocean, lake and river resources. For more information, go to www.namepa.net.

American Salvage Association Education Committee Mission Statement:

The American Salvage Association's (ASA) Education Committee is committed to promoting general maritime industry interest with a focus on marine salvage, and to help develop maritime industry expertise through interactive experience with ASA salvage professionals. The Committee's goal is to support career development in all maritime disciplines inclusive of, but not limited to, the development of both licensed and unlicensed seafarers, encouragement for licensed officers to reach senior officer status and to gain experience at sea. For non-seafarers, the promotion of math, sciences, engineering, naval architecture, diving, environmental sciences, robotics, marine insurance, maritime law, ocean engineering, accounting, logistics, and other related fields.